AI-generated disinformation and deepfakes did not meaningfully impact election results in the UK, France and the European Parliament this year, according to research by The Alan Turing Institute.

When the UK and France both announced snap elections for July 2024 (the month after the planned European Parliament election), concerns were raised over the potential role of generative AI in interfering with voting processes and spreading disinformation.

The Alan Turing Institute, the UK’s national institute for data science and AI, conducted an evidence-based analysis of the influence of generative AI during these elections throughout June and July 2024.

Researchers from the Centre for Emerging Technology and Security (CETaS) at The Alan Turing Institute identified just 16 confirmed viral cases of AI disinformation or deepfakes during the UK general election. Similarly, only 11 viral cases were identified in the EU and French elections combined.

In line with previous research into the use of...